In an interview with Bild at the weekend Roy Hodgson was asked to pick the three people who came to mind when he thought about Germany. The first was easy: Franz Beckenbauer. At number two he went for Angela Merkel. It was the third one that stumped him. "I thought they might like the name of Thomas Mann so I slung it in there," he explained on Monday. "I've read only two Thomas Mann novels in my life and I gave up one of them, Doctor Faustus, after 10 pages. It was too difficult for me."

Hodgson was asked the same question, this time with an English slant, after the final training session before Germany roll up at Wembley. The first name he reeled off was Bobby Moore (followed by William Shakespeare and John Lennon). Frank Lampard had mistakenly referred to "Sir Bobby" last week before realising there was never a knighthood. "There should have been," Hodgson interjected.

Against a backdrop like that it is no wonder Steven Gerrard, even with his own record of achievement, admitted feeling "slightly embarrassed" when, in the next seat, Hodgson went into his eulogy about the fact his captain is about to draw level with Moore on 108 caps. Gerrard will overtake David Beckham if England get through the group stage in Brazil and he plays in every game between now and then. Though for now, with Germany capable of making this a problematic night, England's thinking has to be short-term.

Hodgson's face certainly fell when he was informed that England had not lost back-to-back games on their own ground since Wales and Scotland won at the old Wembley in 1977. Germany, by his own reckoning, have a realistic chance of becoming the first European nation to win the World Cup on South American soil. England will have a clearer understanding of their own position after Joachim Löw's team have passed through but there is no getting away from the fact the performance against Chile, albeit with an experimental line-up, was a jolt – or that Hodgson still gives the impression he is looking for a decent team to take shape rather than knowing, for certain, what his best options are.

He can be encouraged by the report he received from his goalkeeping coach, Dave Watson, about Joe Hart's performance in training, featuring at least three outstanding saves. A solid performance would firmly re-establish Manchester City's goalkeeper, in Hodgson's eyes, as a mandatory first-team pick. Anything less, on the other hand, will turn the volume back up again among his critics.

Ashley Cole also has a lot riding on this game now it is clear he and Leighton Baines might have to job-share at left-back but it is not only that side of defence where there is a question mark. Amid the Cole-Baines debate it has largely been overlooked there is another battle going on between Glen Johnson and Kyle Walker for the right-back spot. Hodgson was emphatic there were no first choices. "I'm not prepared to say who I think the right-back and left-back should be when we start the tournament in Brazil."

Inevitably the subject of England's 4-1 defeat by Germany in the last World Cup cropped up. Yet too much can be made of what this means for the current team and management. Hodgson is looking for clues, rather than a belated form of revenge (on behalf of Fabio Capello), far more interested in building on-pitch relationships between various players than getting one back for Bloemfontein.

Daniel Sturridge's partnership with Wayne Rooney is of particular importance, with the Liverpool striker passed fit despite ending training early because he is still being troubled by a slight groin injury. Sturridge will make way at some point for Rickie Lambert in a team that will also see Adam Lallana get a second cap. "It was important he gets another chance," Hodgson said of the Southampton wide player. "He's playing in one of the positions in which we're short of personnel, because Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Danny Welbeck are all missing. I was more than satisfied with his performance against Chile."

As for the idea of playing Baines and Cole together, with the Everton man in the more advanced position, Hodgson made it clear he considered this a step too far. "It's not a reality at the moment. We're England, we have lots of other opportunities and you'd be asking me to play somebody in a position where he doesn't play for his club, even though theoretically he might have the qualities to play there."

With only one more friendly, against Denmark in March, before Hodgson has to name his World Cup squad, it is also true, however, that Lallana may have to impress more than he did against Chile. Tom Cleverley needs a big performance, having dropped out of the picture recently, and Ross Barkley could be excused for worrying about the implications of not getting a start in either of the two friendlies.

As for 1977, it is a nice one for the fact-collectors but Hodgson was perfectly correct when he said it did not really have any relevance to the greater picture. "It won't stop us winning our first match in the World Cup, will it? I don't think, psychologically, it will hurt us in six or seven months' time." Equally it would not do his team's confidence, or maybe his own, a great deal of good.